In this episode, Nathalie talks to Jeff Chilton about everything mushrooms. They talk about how Jeff first started his career as a mushroom picker and is now one of the leading experts in the medicinal mushroom industry.  From how to tell if your mushroom supplement is actually going to do anything for you to how to cook mushrooms, the powerful medicinal properties of various mushrooms we tap into the medicinal power of these tiny but mighty foods.    Meet This Week's Guest In 1973, Jeff Chilton went to work at Ostrom Mushroom Farms in Olympia Washington. Jeff quickly worked his way up to Grower and ultimately Production Manager. He followed this up with a Fellowship at the Dutch School for Mushroom Growers in 1973 that gave Jeff a much broader outlook on the mushroom industry and influenced his future path. After 10 years of commercial mushroom growing experience, Jeff co-authored and published the classic, bestselling book on small-scale mushroom cultivation, The Mushroom Cultivator. That same year he moved his family to British Columbia to start a mushroom spawn laboratory and a small speciality mushroom growing facility.  In 1989 Jeff made his first trip to China to attend the International Society for Mushroom Science’s (ISMS) conference in Nanjing where he discovered the depth of mushroom knowledge and production capacity that China offered. The relationships Jeff built over the next 10 years laid the foundation that made Nammex a leader in the new category of health promoting mushrooms.   Nammex serves the B to B industry while Real Mushrooms, led by Skye Chilton (Jeff’s son) serves the consumer with powerful supplements and extracts.   To find out more about Jeff and Nammex visit https://www.nammex.com/   To purchase top quality mushroom supplements and extracts go to: https://www.realmushrooms.com/ Promo Code:  Longevity15 to save 15% off your purchase   Key Takeaways [02:40] About Jeff Chilton and how he became the mushroom guy... [06:26] How do you grow mushrooms?.. [12:55] Are mushrooms worth eating or should you just take a supplement?.. [17:05] How to prepare mushrooms... [20:11] What are beta glucans and how do they work?. [27:13] Mushrooms and China. Why Jeff grows mushrooms there and his experiences in China... [35:56] What is mycelium and what does it do?.. [38:48] What to look for and avoid in mushroom supplements.. [44:56] Let's talk mushrooms.. What is the difference in properties and the different applications?  [56:00] What are the most popular mushrooms and how to get the most use out of them? [57:24] All about chaga, the non mushroom.. [66:11] Let's talk reishi mushrooms.. [69:22] Turkey tail, powerful enough to be a drug?.. [75:02] Dosing for reishi and turkey tail.. [78:00] Lionsmane, the ultimate nootropic? [81:09] Cordyceps for performance... [86:01] The 5 defenders mushroom blend, what it contains and why to take it...   Episode Sponsor Primeadine the newest addition to my personal “foundation stack” of healthy aging supplements. Spermidine, the active ingredient in Primeadine has been shown in research to activate SIX of the 9 hallmarks of aging. Not only can it help to get younger at a cellular level but in addition the visible beauty benefits are incredible: fuller, thicker hair, better skin and stronger nails. I love this brand for its meticulous sourcing, purity of the product and zero fillers and excipients!! Use Promo Code BioNat15 to save 15% off your order!   Disclaimer:  This podcast and the information presented are for informational purposes only and not intended to diagnose or treat disease.  Before making any changes to your nutrition or supplementation please check with your physician or health provider.